Frozen – Live at the Hyperion Theater + How to Meet Anna and Elsa

Frozen – Live at the Hyperion, debuted on May 27, 2016. I was there for the first show and have lots of tips and details on what to expect.

Let’s get started on how to see that show and how to meet Anna and Elsa, too.

To see when this show is playing during your visit, check out this link and change the calendar to your timing.

***For a full post on how to start your day at DCA, visit this link. I show you how to get started and advise when to see Anna and Elsa and how to work in the Frozen – Live show.

Basic Info for Frozen – Live at the Hyperion

This show is included in your theme park admission ticket to Disney California Adventure (DCA). If you are visiting Disneyland for the day and want to see the show, you must have a park hopper ticket to enter DCA and watch this show.

The show lasts about an hour.

Food is sold outside the theater and within the theater before the show by cast members walking the aisles. Food is allowed inside the theater to enjoy while you watch the show.

All seating is now “standby”, meaning that you show up and get in line to wait for the show. Many people are panicking over this, but it’s really not a huge difference compared to when FASTPASSES were used. People still got in line an hour plus prior to showtime. Without the FASTPASS system, I suggest getting in line about an hour prior.

All seating options are good, as the theater is well designed. I’ve sat in every option and have been able to see just fine. The Mezzanine is the best location. The Orchestra (floor) is awesome if you’re close up to the stage, however, the projections for this show wrap around the stage and show on each side. Mezzanine allows you to see these projections, everything on the stage, and characters coming in and up the aisles throughout the performance. Balcony is a fine seat, but it’s harder to see the floor, and, of course, the view is further out.

If you sit in Mezzanine, choose any row but the second row from the bottom. The railing will inhibit part of your view from the second row.

Strollers parked within the parking section for Hyperion will likely be moved before you exit to make space for the next show’s lot of strollers. Ask a cast member upon exiting if/where the strollers from your show were moved to. I recommend tying a balloon or bandana or something eye-catching to your stroller during your visit for this very reason. Find more tips in my stroller post.

Frozen – Live at the Hyperion Theater

When it’s time to line up for the show, you’ll go to the Hyperion Theater and choose one of the three options mentioned previously. When you enter one of these seating sections, you’ll stay here until show time. When a section fills up, it will close and you’ll have to choose another. There really are not any bad seats in this theater, so don’t panic if a section is closed.

If you are in line and need to leave for a restroom break or to grab a snack, ask a cast member for a paper “snowflake pass” to leave and return. The snowflake pass must be shown before you re-enter.

The “snowflake pass” looks like this:

The seating section entrances look like this:

You will stand in a sea of people once you choose your section. It might feel overwhelming. Don’t get scared. 1,984 people can fit in the audience for one show. The crowd has to stand somewhere before going in.

I recommend planning your day around an hour and a half prior to the showtime you wish to attend and bring a snack to occupy your crew during that wait. It’s not entirely possible to have one person go “save a spot” for a group of 5 or so because once you’re in your section, it’s not easy to move and find other people. And, if you show up too late to meet the person saving your group’s spots, that section could be closed.

Here is why. The sections will fill and look like this:

About 15 minutes prior to showtime, cast members will open the door and allow guests inside.

Mezzanine and Balcony sections require you to walk up stairs, as seen in this photo. There are elevators for those in need. Most entering the Orchestra section will walk up a short amount of stairs, too, but there is an entry that doesn’t require any stairs for those in wheelchairs and ECVs.

You made it! Sit back and relax.

Here is my view from the front row of Mezzanine.

Wheelchair Accessibility for Frozen – Live

Each floor can accommodate wheelchairs and/or ECVs. That includes:

4 spots in the Balcony, with one seat for a friend to sit with the wheelchair guest.

4 spots in the Mezzanine, with one seat for a friend to sit with the wheelchair guest.

6 spots in the Orchestra, with one seat for a friend to sit with the wheelchair guest.

Elevators are available for wheelchair guests to get to Mezzanine and Balcony sections.

If wheelchair guests can transfer, seating will work in any available seats, thus allowing more friends to sit nearby. Unfortunately, in the 4, 4, and 6 dedicated seats on each level, only one seat is reserved for a friend of the guest in the wheelchair.

***Please let me know what other questions you have regarding this and I’ll inquire during my visits.

How and Where to Meet Anna and Elsa

****They are NOT currently using FASTPASSES for this character meet-n-greet.

I incorporate meeting Anna and Elsa into my post on how to start your day at DCA. Find that here.

Most princesses are decked out for any Disneyland trip. For tips on where to find your dress – Frozen inspired or not – plus all things princessy, check my princess post. Bitts and Pieces on Etsy creates darling t-shirt style dresses that are comfortable, non-itchy and casual for the day. My daughter wears these and loves them.

Don’t forget your autograph book so Anna and Elsa can sign it – plus a pen!

Also, don’t forget your camera, although Disneyland photographers are ready to take your photo and will hand you a photo pass card when you’re finished. One of my favorite values in the park is the PhotoPass+ and I encourage you to read that post and consider it for your visit.

Anna and Elsa can be found in the Animation Building and the building looks like this:

Olaf and Kristoff

Olaf and Kristoff can (typically) be found with Anna and Elsa in the Animation Building, as detailed above. They only stay until early afternoon, so check the free Disneyland app for specifics if these two are part of your priorities.

Olaf has been in the park for many months, but just recently moved over to join the whole Frozen crew. Here is a photo of him:

Kristoff didn’t arrive until late March. You can find the whole scoop on my first visit with him in a recent post (it wasn’t pretty). Here he is:

Other Notes

Have realistic expectations with meeting Anna and Elsa and seeing Frozen Live. This is a stressful adventure at California Adventure and things might go wrong. Characters are not always present as planned. Frozen Live shows sometimes get cancelled. Move on to your next strategy point if something isn’t available.

We visited on a day that Elsa wasn’t there. I repeat: Elsa wasn’t there! Cast members handled the entire situation with grace as they always do, but that could have gone terribly wrong.

Anna told my daughter she couldn’t wait to tell her sister about the darling dress she saw. The cast members rallied and it was an awesome experience, but plenty would have been super disappointed if that had happened to them. My daughter was upset at first, but with 2-3 years of therapy, I think she’ll come out without any long term damage done. Fingers crossed!

181 COMMENTS

Has the frozen live at Hyperion slowed a bit such that we don’t have to line up so far in advance? We are there presidents weekend. But I do see there are now 4 show times. If we do the 630 what time do you think we would need to arrive? What show is least crowded? (We have not done the show prior trips because didn’t want to wait 1.5 hours)

We are taking our Frozen-obsessed 5 year old daughter to Disneyland for the first time on 14 Feb 2018, and the daily calendar on the Disneyland site doesn’t have Frozen Live listed but other shows are listed. Do you know if this mean the show has an end date, do you have any information? Thanks!

Hi Casey. Thank you so much for all your helpful info! I’m taking my two kiddos to the parks next week (Wed/Thu). I’d like to try and catch the Frozen show (the last time we were there it was still Aladdin), but we’re not really willing to go stand in line an hour early. Do you think if we arrived about 15 minutes prior, when the doors are starting to open, we could still get seats? Considering it’s off-season now and we’ll be there on a weekday, I’m not sure if the shows typically fill up or not? I’m thinking that seats in the back are better than giving up 45 minutes of park time.

I would arrive 30 minutes prior, actually. Grab a snack and then get in line. I agree with not wasting park time, but if you can utilize that time (for a snack break), maybe you’ll feel better about it. They start allowing people in at about 20 minutes prior, so I think 15 minutes is cutting it too close.

Be prepared for the current crowds, though. There really isn’t an “off season” at Disneyland anymore and October can be one of the busiest times of the year. Work around the Halloween Parties, too, and know what is ahead for them. This post will help with that:

Hi Casey,
I think your site is great, I just wish I would have found it before I booked my trip(events). I am a grandparent of a 7 and 4-year-old granddaughters. This is their first time and ours in a very long time. I made the mistake of booking the Princess breakfast then realizing that DCA closes earlier. Can you give me advice to get the most out of DCA after a 9:30 breakfast. We are doing DL on July 1 and DCA July 2. We also have 2 23 year olds joining us.
Thanks

This park is much easier than Disneyland. You’ll get most of what you want done by early afternoon. Don’t stress! You’re in good shape.

Just go through the steps of the strategy, but before you pull FASTPASSES, keep in mind your dining time. Before you pull each FASTPASS, the signs will tell you what time you’re pulling them for. It should all line up if you follow the strategy. Let me know what questions you have.

Hi Casey, thank you for all of the great info! I have a 4 year old who is obsessed with princesses. We are planning on doing DL in the morning and DCA in the afternoon. We have a 2:40 lunch at Ariel’s. When would you suggest meeting Anna and Elsa, before or after our lunch? I also didn’t know if there would be time to see the Frozen show.

Thanks so much for this post! We bought lunch at the Carthay Cafe for preferred seating for the Frozen show. Do I need to still get there on the early side even with advanced seating? (Little one has an appointment at Elsa and Anna’s Boutique at 2:10…Hope not cutting it close for the 3:30 show?). Also do you know how early Elsa and Anna come out? I’ve been in DCA many times for magic hour and I still have yet to see them in the wee hours:) I’m guessing it’s more like 9:30 or 10?

Anna and Elsa are typically there at park opening, but not for Extra Magic Hour.

You shouldn’t have to arrive too early since you have the preferred seating for the show. Arrive around 1:45pm for your 2:10 appt just in case. Ask them to work you in earlier because of your preferred viewing. It can’t hurt to ask and then you’ll have more peace of mind with getting to the show and claiming your spot. Remember that it will take you a bit to walk through Downtown Disney and through the front of DCA to get to the Hyperion Theater for the show. You can do it. Just don’t want this fun experience to feel so rushed.

Hi Casey!
My family will be visiting the second week of May. Just from looking at the hours, the park will be opening at 9 am but Anna and Elsa aren’t available to meet until 10 (according to the Disneyland website). Should we still follow the plan you have laid out and visit Anna and Elsa first even though they aren’t available until 10? Or is Disneyland not really reporting the actual times? Thank you so much for all your help! I love your website!

I would swing by to see if they’re seeing guests at that time and if not, proceed on with the plan and return to them later. They do change their entertainment guide times sometimes, so you’re smart to check just before your visit. Let me know if you have any last minute questions as we get closer, too.

We have 3 princesses ages 6, 4, and 2 and are headed to DLR in a week. We have reservations for a character breakfast at Ariel’s Grotto for 9 am on the day that we plan to be in CA. We also want to meet Elsa and Anna. Would it be best to head there after breakfast? Also, how long will it take us to get from the Paradise Pier to the restaurant? Rides are a second priority for us, but may send my husband to get fast passes while we head to Elsa and Anna, although I know we also want to get fast passes for World of Color too. Thanks for your help!

From Paradise Pier Hotel to the restaurant, it will take about 30 minutes with the walk, security, getting through the main gate and corralling three busy princesses. 🙂 I would go see them right after breakfast.

World of Color FASTPASSES are now located to the right of Ariel’s Undersea Adventure…..updating this post today. Just an FYI.

We are taking our Frozen-obsessed 5 year old daughter to Disneyland for the first time at the end of April, and the daily calendar on the Disneyland site doesn’t have Frozen Live listed. Does this mean the show has an end date, or do the daily showtimes not pop up until closer to the date? Thanks!

I printed your touring plans from another section, but this one seems to be different. Should I ignore that one and do this? Is Soarin more important that Radiator springs now? Do you have an updated on for DL?

Thank you so much for putting a section in here for disabled guests. We are going in two weeks for the first time with someone who has a wheelchair. I really want them to be able to see Frozen and go on RSR. I don’t know if you’d be able to answer this but I was wondering if you need a fastpass with a DAS? And if I have a DAS do I need to get fastpasses for WOC or is there even a disability section there? These are all questions I can ask when I get to the Chamber of Commerce but my big dilemma was run and get the passes first in case they get denied DAS or just go to Chamber of Commerce? Lol I tried looking on the website and guides and couldn’t get a clear answer. Since you have so much experience in the park any help you can give is appreciated and thank you again for all your hard work and the info that you’ve provided!

Hi, Marie. The DAS system negates the need for a FASTPASS, but you can use the two together if you wish. Check with a cast member the morning of your visit – when you wish to see WOC – to know where to go for the disability section. That seems to change regularly. I would grab a FASTPASS, regardless. Can’t hurt to have it and since it’s disconnected, it won’t deter you from pulling other FASTPASSES. I would get all of your FASTPASSES and then visit the Chamber of Commerce. Best wishes!

Hi Casey! Thank you so much for all of your hard work! I look at your site at least 2-3 times a day! We are planning a May 2-7, 2017 trip to DLR. We are planning on doing DCA on Wednesday, May 3 so we will have EMH. We are a party of 11 (7 adults and 4 kids, all of the kids except my 3-yr old are 40 in or higher. Anyway, I am having a terrible time deciding how to plan our morning at DCA. Our priorities are RSR (preferably riding once in standby and another time with fast pass) and Toy Story. We also love the dark rides (Ariel and Monster’s). Of course, we will do Soarin and Grizzly River Run, but it doesnt look like the wait is ever that bad for those two rides. We have a 10:30 breakfast reservation at Ariel’s grotto that we need to work around. I thought about doing Soarin’ first thing, but thought that it would be better if everyone could ride the first ride together. So as of now here is my plan, TSMM, RSR-standby, CarsLand, get fast pass for RSR (at opening), then head back to Paradise Pier and do as many rides as possible before our 10:30 reservation. Then we would have Soarin’ and Grizzly River Run after breakfast, so around 12:00. We would then head back to the hotel for naps and hit up Bugs Land and Hollywood Land in the afternoon. Thoughts? Thank you so much!!!

I have a plan in this post for EMH that I think would work better than your proposal and allows you to all ride first together. RSR standby can get busy quickly…..so you’re looking at a long wait with what your plan entails. I would follow my EMH plan and then work in Monsters and Ariel’s as the day allows – those lines are typically not too bad. Bugs Land late in the day, too. Hope this helps!

First of all, I’ve been to DLR and DCA under your detailed maps, pictures + instructions…and all went off without a hitch! I praised you the whole day at both parks. I recommend your blog to everyone I know who is going to either park.

I’m so sad that they stopped doing the FASTPASSES for the Frozen show! So disappointing.

Hi Ms. Casey,
Tomorrow we are headed to DCA, and finally my Lil boy meet the height requirement for RSR. Our plan is to go on as many RSR ride as possible? How does fast pass work? And also, we love Olaf? Interested on seeing world of colors too?

Hi Casey,
We will be at DCA on a Wednesday (2/15/17) and do have the early magic hour which we plan on using (unless our 4 and 7 year olds are dead to the world). There’s not as much at DCA that we want to do as compared to your suggested itinerary, but want to make sure we do the things we want in a smart order! What would you suggest if we wanted to: 1) meet Anna and Elsa, 2) ride king triton’s carousel 3)Little Mermaid 4) Toy Story Midway Mania 5)Radiator Springs Racers x2 (using the Switching Off option since my husband, son, and I want to go, but my 4 year old would freak!) 6) Frozen Live and 7)maybe another Cars land ride or 8) Heinrich’s Chew Chew Train for my cautious daughter. A break in the day to go back to the Paradise Pier would be great too to avoid meltdowns. Thanks for your advice!

1. Meet Anna and Elsa.
2. Grab FASTPASSES for RSR (near the entrance to Bugs Land).
3. Ride Toy Story Mania.
4. Ride King Triton’s Carousel.
5. Little Mermaid’s Undersea Adventure.
6. Likely work in your RSR return time around here. Check out other Cars Land rides, too.
7. Consider a break at the hotel here.
8. Return for Heimlich’s and other Bugs Land attractions.
9. Use your RSR rider switch so you can enjoy it at night!

I recommend the later Frozen shows if possible. The schedule keeps changing, so feel free to check back if you have more questions once you see your timing. No FASTPASSES for this show anymore. Enjoy!

Thanks! It seems like this would be for regular opening? We have magic hour, so will get in at 9 for a regular 10 opening. How/ would you change order since Anna and Elsa and RSR aren’t included in early morning!

Thank you so much for this article. It is incredibly helpful. I will be going to DCA in December. I was wondering if the Frozen show will continue to have no Fastpasses? Even during the Holiday season?

Also, I’m not sure if I should run to meet Anna and Elsa first or if should line up for RSR fastpasses in the morning. What would you recommend first?

Yay! Just checked the DLR schedule, and it looks like they’ve added a third showtime starting on 11/11. Hope it won’t be plagued by cancellations… but at least we’ll have more options. On 11/11, show times change to 12:30 PM, 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM.

Hi Casey! Love your blog. I have a few questions about the waiting for Frozen Live, now that they have stopped doing Fastpasses. (Darn that!)

1) Etiquette-wise… does the entire group have to wait in line for that entire 1.5 hours you are recommending? At what point in the waiting process does or can a CM give the group a snowflake pass to return? I’m essentially wondering if—after getting the total group counted—can one spouse stay in line while the other spouse takes the antsy children off for a potty break, a ride, a run around?

2) You’ve said the wait without Fastpasses *has been* about an hour and you recommend 1.5 hrs… but will you continue to check this in the coming weeks? I’m planning to go in the week leading up to Thanksgiving and with only 2 shows, it seems like wait times could conceivably increase to *hours.* I’ve made reservations for the Carthay Circle lunch as a backup plan, but would rather not if the wait stays about 1.5 hours.

3) Is it confirmed by Disney that there will only be the 2 shows a day (and no FastPasses) in Nov/December, or is there a chance that they’ll increase the number of shows and/or add back in FastPasses? What I mean is, is there a chance that this is just a temporary blip while they get ready to roll out their complete holiday schedule in November? I can’t find anything from Disney’s info.

I love you already for considering the etiquette aspect of Disney parks. So few people do today. All of your concerns are great questions. I’m doing my best to answer them with what I know so that you can have the best trip possible. I don’t know if they’ll increase the qty of shows per day for Frozen. I hope so. But, because I feel confident they’ll do 2 a day, I’ve designed the plan around that.

I know 1.5 hours sounds like hell. Believe me. I’ve been there. In that time frame of my life, I would have been tempted to send my overly accommodating husband in to save spots, however, as I mentioned earlier, it’s not so easy to work your way in to meet people once they are set in place.

Disney has not confirmed any entertainment schedule for any day suggested, including 2 per day, But they could certainly add more. I’ll cross my fingers for such!

Planning to take kids today for the 4pm show, but can’t be at the Park at opening. Earliest eta for us would be 2pm. So is a 2 hour wait “standby” (w/out Fast Pass) realistic? Or is this dad wishing upon a star?

Hey, Eric. I was told recently that the parks are no longer offering standby for Frozen. I will be in the parks early next week to find out more. Look for an update on this post and also at Facebook.com/DLRPrepSchool. Hoping to have more info soon!

Thanks for the tips! I know my 3 year old daughter would LOVE this show, but I’m nervous that even with all the snacks in the world my 1 year old boy will get restless during the hour show. Is it easy to exit the auditorium if he gets cranky?

Hi! We’ve been to DL a few times in the past few years, so we aren’t veterans but know our way around 🙂 We haven’t been since the Frozen show opened. Last time we were able to see Anna and Elsa in about 20 minutes…we’re planning to be there the first week of November, which should be relatively light crowds. Have lines for A&E picked up since? Is this Frozen show still so popular that we would need to immediately get FP? I have a 5yo, 3yo, and 11 month old, and I don’t really want to stand in line for Toy Story for 45 minutes, but I also don’t want to go there first and miss out on Frozen. We’re going to be there for 4 days, but I haven’t quite decided if we should save the show for the heaviest day (Saturday) or use light crowd time to make sure we can get in. Thanks!!

All Frozen is still quite popular – both meeting the characters and the show itself. That Toy Story line is brutal. I get it! You could always go there sooner and pull FASTPASSES for the later show times.

Thank you for your great blog. Can we please ask some questions as we will be visiting California Adventure and Disneyland on Sunday 4 December and Monday 5 December this year. Our daughter, aged 4 (just turned) and son aged 7 both have a to do list and as we are coming from Australia, want to get this right. Frozen, both show and meet and greet, are a must do. We won’t have an early morning entry either day. Apart from Frozen, Radiator Springs Racers, Toy Story Mania and Ariels Grotto for a meal are in our plans. For Disneyland, the big must do is the Star Wars Jedi Training. For our daughter, as a birthday gift, we wanted to give her a princess experience, her favourite being Anna. Can you please offer an suggestions as to if we should aim at one park particularly either day and any other insights that may help to pull this visit off!!! Thanks for any help and again, thanks for your fantastic blog – very helpful. Kel

I wonder if getting an RSR fastpass can be a problem when you also want to see the Frozen play. Couldn’t the return time for RSR be so late that it means you won’t be able to show up at the Hyperion 20 minutes before the 11:30 curtain time?

Yes. You have to pay attention to the times that you’re pulling with FASTPASSES. If you have an 8am park opening and are on time and follow this strategy, you will have everything lined up. I’ll adjust it when we go to 9am park opening. And then 10am park opening. But for 8am, this works. I try it out each week to confirm. You will typically end up with a 12:45pm RSR that fits with the 11:30am Frozen show you will see with this strategy. But, with any timing, you have to pay attention in case something is off.

We are planning our Disney visit with our 4 year old daughter (41″) and parents this Thursday and Friday. We are planning to visit DCA on Friday. No points for guessing she is an Elsa fan. Since we have a 2 day price hopper ticket we do not have Magic morning. Approx what time will we be done with Olaf(she is not a huge olaf fan, so we may skip this). If we follow your plan without the EMH will we not be able to do
Grab Goofy’s Sky School FASTPASS
Ride Symphony Swings
Ride Golden Zephyr
Ride Jumpin Jellyfish
Ride Goofy’s Sky School
Grab Grizzly River Rapids FASTPASS

Out of these options, you can only get the WOC FASTPASS during EMH. The EMH plan I have detailed in this post works around that so that you do what the park allows you to during that time and makes the most use out of that hour.

Soarin’ hasn’t been as in demand as RSR. RSR is typically out by around 1pm. I recommend getting Soarin’ finished first because you’ll be able to accomplish a lot while you’re waiting for the ride and not tie up a long wait as you would with RSR.

Hi, I just wanted to say thank you so much for your tips on this page! We took my daughter, 8 years old, to DCA last week for a day. I was searching the web for “one day at Disney California Adventure” and came across this page and we followed it almost exactly (except for getting there an hour before opening, ha ha), and your advice worked great! It definitely maximized the rides we were able to go on.

Do you know if we can pull fastpasses for multiple shows on the same day? For example, can we pull a fastpass for the first show when the park opens and then for a later show a little after that? Thanks.

I went to DCA today and asked a cast member. He said that we can only get one Frozen fastpass per day. Luckily they were just handing them out at the machines after opening so our park tickets weren’t scanned, meaning we could get more.

Good tip, Mike! Thanks for letting me know. I might try tomorrow to see if that’s actually the case. Not sure the machines are that “smart”. But I will definitely share the answer you got if anyone asks. Thanks again!

Hi Casey – we just saw Frozen at the Hyperion on 06/11/16 and our experience was that our seating section was assigned on the FastPass. We received tickets for the first show but for the balcony section, which was a little disappointing. The FastPass line wasn’t very long on that day (it was a cold and rainy (!) Saturday) so I probably could have left the line and waited until the seating section changed to orchestra for the second show, but I didn’t think about scoping out what section was being assigned until after I had already pulled the FastPasses. Something for other visitors to think about.

Thank you, Kay. I updated my post with this info about 30 minutes ago. I must have just missed your comment! The cast members I spoke to did say that they’re testing this option. I’ll update this post as things change. (And they will.)

Your website is so useful! We have an upcoming trip for three days. Do you recommend going to Ariel’s Grotto the same day as following your strategies for the Frozen Live show or would it be better to do them on separate days?

Thank you! Because the strategy for the new show keeps changing, I would schedule Ariel’s on another day. (Just in case the timing of the show you get with your FASTPASS were to conflict with your reservation.) Easier to just avoid that all together.

Thanks for the update Casey!! We are heading up tonight and I am soooo excited!!! We’ll be in the parks Friday too ?? (and Saturday). Totally grateful for all your tips and advice, can’t wait to put them into action!! BTW I found some GREAT stuff yesterday at Target (really cute light up LED wands that look like miniature light sabers!!, cute glow bracelets, etc in the $1 section–all part of my take on “adding extra magic”!!) ???? Plus I remembered to pick up my retractable sharpies to go with the cute autograph books I found on Amazon! I can’t wait to surprise my kids tonight when we get to the hotel!!!

We’re here!! Got my daughter signed up for jedi training by 8:15….who is now telling me she doesn’t want to do it without her brother (who has been talking about doing it for WEEKS until this morning when he changed his mind!)! :(( lol kids!! Already did star tours and have our FP for space mountain! BTW anyone wanna go with me?? My whole fam is saying they won’t go on it now!! LOL keep my sense of humor we’re at Disneyland!! 🙂

I’m Curious – fast passes and lunch reservations. If I was to pull a fast pass for the frozen show and it clashed times with lunch booking at ariels grotto what do I do, can you choose which show you want to go to when pulling a fast pass?

Good question. According to Disney policy, you are still responsible for your reservation. Disneyland Dining can sometimes move it for a conflict like this, but it’s safer to grab the FASTPASS you need. You cannot choose the show time. However, you can decline pulling the FASTPASS if you arrive at the kiosk and the timing doesn’t work. Ask a cast member how much longer he or she thinks those passes being distracted will last. Then, get in line after for the time that works.

Thanks for the info! This may be a dumb question, but do I need separate tickets to California Adventure to meet Elsa and Anna or can I see them with just Disneyland tickets? We are only visiting for one day and don’t want to see California Adventure, outside of visiting the princesses. Thanks for your help!

Hi Casey!
I am too studying your blog to get ready for our visit the 27th this month. I have a doubt though, if we get the Frozen return ticket, will I be able to get the Radiator Springs Fastpass too? or I have to choose one?

Hello!
Thank you so much for all of your information, it is VERY useful!! I was wondering are Elsa and Anna, Olaf, and the Frozen Sing Along show all in the same area? Is there a way to know ahead of time whether or not they will have the “return tickets” option available for that day? I will be taking my son next week and my priority is RSR and Toy Story, but i think he would enjoy this as well since he loves Olaf.

Hi there, I have a trip planned to disneyland march 1st and California adventure on the 2nd. The only reason we are deciding to do park hoppers is to see Anna and elsa for my daughter. I can’t lie I am a little intimidated after reading how hard it may be to get tickets. There are 6 of us going so doing the park hopper tickets is quite a bit more. Do you think our chances are good if we get there early enough.
A family member bought the dlr hotel so I’m not sure on the specifics but we are staying with them. Do we automatically have the magic hour?

Me again. The only time I could get an appointment for the Anna and Elsa Boutique was Wednesday at 10:20 AM. That’s our day for California Adventure, and I’d like to go early to get the Fastpass for the meet and greet, but I’m not sure how to make that happen. We have the magic hour from 9-10 – I’m worried that if I go too early to get the return time, the time will be before we can get back from the appointment. But if I wait until noon then I worry that tickets will have run out. Thoughts? Thanks again!

Hi Casey, I wanted to say THANK YOU for all your advice on meeting Elsa & Anna. We just returned from our first Disneyland trip and princesses were high on our agenda. I followed your instructions, got there early, went down buena vista and we were right there for rope drop. They were not offering a Fastpass so we went right in and were the VERY FIRST people to meet the sisters that day. My 4 year old daughter was thrilled. Your very detailed instructions made that happen! Thank you!

Hello! we are planning a trip for december and I am wanting to see the frozen show at fantasy faire but cannot find as much info about that one. do i need fast passes? is it something that we need to do first thing? where can i find show time info? thanks so much for any info!

HOWEVER, I have heard that they’re considering – and testing – no FASTPASS for this show. I’ll be looking into this on my visit this coming Tuesday and will update everyone Facebook with that information. If that is the case, I would go to this show as early as you can in the day because as the park crowds, it will be harder to get in.

I can’t find the times of the show posted, so I’ve added this to my list for my visit on this coming Tuesday. I’ll post to my Facebook page that day. Hope that helps!

Your site is amazing! I’m so glad I found it! I didn’t realize that Anna and Elsa were still available to meet. I thought that ended in May. We are going the first week of November. It is driving me crazy that I can’t get park hours until 6 weeks before. Do you know if Anna and Elsa will still be there during the off season in November? What about the sing along? Thank you!!!

Hey there love this site! Ive gotten a late start in planning as our visit to California Adventure is tomorrow(Tuesday)! We have a 9:10 dining experiene Ariel’s Grotto is it still possible to keep this plan?

My 6 year old daughter is scheduled for an Anna makeover at 10:30 in a Wednesday in mid September. The person doing the reservation told me that the park will open at 10am that day. My daughter really wants to meet Anna and Elsa that day as well! What is your recommended strategy for making this happen?
1 – Get our fastpass to see Anna and Elsa ASAP then head over to the makeover and hope the timing works out
2- have my husband and two sons get fast passes for Anna and Elsa while I take my daughter to her makeover..then we can use their fast passes while they do something else (or are the fast passes connected to a specific ticket?). Or…
3- try to change the makeover to Thursday morning (our last day at DL parks) because it’s not a magic morning at CA? (We were planning to use our magic morning at DL). Or…
4- just use our magic morning on Wednesday at CA because it will be worth it.

I added an option for the boys in this post. Forgot to add it to the previous one…..thought of it after. Whatever works out, just bring your receipt and they’ll work you in.

Your early entry day will only be available at Disneyland if you buy the 3 day park hopper. To enter both parks for early entry, you must stay at at Disneyland Resort Hotel. So, your options will be Tues, Thurs or Saturday for Disneyland – those are the days that work with the three day pass.

I think you’ll be OK sending your husband in to get the passes. Just make sure your entire family has entered the park in order or him to retrieve passes for everyone. If a timing conflict arrives, show the cast member your receipt from the makeover and they should help accommodate you. So, I’d keep your plan as is and use a combo of 1 and 2. If you go first thing, you’ll be seen prior to her makeover. Have your husband ask what times are being distributed when he goes to check.

Meanwhile, have your husband and two sons go “open” Monsters Inc (as soon as the park opens), which is very close by in Hollywoodland. They will help Sulley “scream” to open the ride and if they win (be VERY enthusiastic and loud), the family will receive a Scream Award which gives them (and you all -the whole family) entry privileges to the ride for the whole day by entering through the exit. This way, the boys will have something fun to do while your daughter does the makeover and then hopefully the passes will time out well, too.

Hi Casey
Thanks for all your tips!!! Soooo useful. This monday, I Was able to take my two little ones and meet Ana and Elsa, and did as you said with Radiators fastpasses and straight to Toy story. Everything Went perfect and our large party of ten were all excited. Excellent information. Can’t thank you enough. Olaf Was there and we could meet. No fastpass requiered as you said. He leaves at 5pm. We were there a couple of minutes before but let us in and had to wait for less than ten!!!
Great!!!!!
Ale (from Argentina)

Hi there! Love your blog and just was wondering if Olaf fast pass was connected or Independant from other fast passes. Is it possible to grab return tickets for Elsa and Anna , fast passes for radiator springs than a return ticket/fast pass for Olaf? Also world of colour? Thanks so much for all your info!! We talking our family of 7 next week!!!!

Olaf currently doesn’t even have a FASTPASS. It changes often, but I check each week I visit and there’s rarely more than a 10 minute wait and no FASTPASS. Get Anna and Elsa, RSR and WOC first thing. Check out this post:

Absolutely love all the information on your site!! We are going for our first time with our daughter (turning 4 September 17th) and our son (turning 1 September 2nd) August 3-5 with hopper. I am beyond excited (almost obsessed ;)) with reading about everything!! Do they have anything special if you are celebrating birthdays? Daughter is all about Frozen also and I was wondering what things have closed in Frozen Fun and what is still available when we go? Any tips for bringing a 1 year old?
Thank you,
Sandy

Hi Casey,
Thank you for all your info, I’ve been reading your blogs every night!! We plan to go to DCA and get there before they open on a non-early entry day. We plan to see Elsa, Anna, Olaf, see the Frozen Sing Along show, and ride Radiator Springs Racers before our 12:30 WOC Dining Reservation. I see you suggest pulling character return tickets, then Radiator Springs fast passes. At what point do we pull fast passes for the sing-along? Would it work to pull unconnected return tickets, fast pass for the sing-along and wait in line for Radiator Springs? Thank you!

I’ve got 3 times this week (just bought a season pass) and my daughter is obsessed with all things Frozen.

I’ve gone Monday, Tuesday and today (Thursday). All 3 of these days we’ve met Olaf with no Fast Passes required. Today we met Anna and Elsa. We pulled a fast pass around 1030 and our time slot was 140-2. We got over there in time and met them no problem.

Monday we also did the sing a long. No fast pass required.

I was super concerned before we went and I read all of this thinking it was going to all be nearly impossible.

Thanks for all the tips. This is really helpful. We are buying 3 day park hopper passes for June 16-18. We are going to do the magic morning on Tuesday but it’s for disneyland only (not staying at a disneyland resort hotel). If we all go into Disneyland and have our park hopper tickets stamped, can I then leave with all the tickets and wait in line at California Adventure for the fast passes for Anna and Elsa? Just wondering if my whole family needs to enter into California Adventure with their tickets or if entering into DisneyLand will work to get the fast passes. Thanks for your help!

Just wanted to let you know we were successful in pulling fast passes in California adventure when tickets had only been stamped by Disneyland. My mom stayed with the kids in Disneyland and I popped over to California adventure with all tickets and got fast passes for Anna and Elsa and radiator springs.

Hi Casey,
I have been reading your blog and FB posts for a while now prepping for our trip to The Happiest Place on Earth in a couple weeks. I am so glad to hear that Olaf is still around at California Adventure. Is the Fastpass to see Frozen characters still pretty tough to get? Thanks for all the advice on here, it makes taking my kids so much better!

FASTPASSES or Return tickets for the Anna & Elsa meet and greet? What is the difference between the two passes? Which do we need for which? Oh, and I assume the Meet & Greet Return tickets are obtained at Calif Adventure, and the FASTPASSES at Disneyland? Thank you!

FASTPASSES are similar in nature to “Return Tickets” and both are used at both parks.

The “Return Tickets” or “FASTPASSES” for the Anna and Elsa meet-n-greet are at California Adventure. They are basically the same thing, however, the difference lies in that you may only pull one FASTPASS at a time. “Return Tickets” are for shows or meet-n-greets and you can typically pull other “Return Tickets” and FASTPASSES even though you pulled a Return Ticket already. Once you pull a FASTPASS, you may not pull another until the time on that pass has expired.

Hi,
Is there Anna and Elsa in Disneyland. We purchased tickets for Thursday , May 21st and very sad to here that people say Anna and Elsa Frozen fun is in CA Disney Adventures.
Hopefully there is Frozen in Disneyland too.
Please let us know if you can

You can see plenty of Frozen in Disneyland, but the character meet-n-greets are in California Adventure. Look for the following in Disneyland:

*Anna and Elsa pre-parade float – this comes before The Mickey Soundsational Parade
*Arendelle (the town of Frozen) – this can be found as a new village in the Storybook Land Canal Boats in Fantasyland
*Frozen Show – this can be found in Fantasy Faire and is a 30 minute show featuring a vaudeville type rendition of the movie (be sure to get a FASTPASS for this)
*Frozen artwork – this can be found in the Opera House on Main Street – it’s a museum type exhibit where you can find art that inspired the movie
*Frozen merchandise – in many Disneyland stores

Review my parade post to ensure you get there early enough and know how to set up for Anna and Elsa:

This strategy is a lifesaver–so many guides are filled with information nervous parents don’t need. I just want to know where to go, when to go, to give my 3 year old the best chance of seeing her favorite “sisters”. And that’s exactly what you did here. We’re in Disneyland in 48 hours, so I’ll be going through a lot of your old posts between now and then.

Hi i am planning on taking my 2 year old daughter in august, we do have the extra magic hour, and she loves elsa and anna, so with that said we are planning on doing breakfast with the princesses, should we stop and get the passes first then go, and should we go on the same day the DLR guests get there passes, or does that matter?

I’ll be updating this post shortly – as soon as we learn how things will change when Frozen Fun officially ends May 15. Anna and Elsa will remain, I’m sure, but we don’t know yet how it will all work out. Stay tuned to this post and my facebook page for daily info.

Good day! Have you found out any more information on what is changing for Anna and Elsa as of the 15th? I’m headed to Disneyland for the first time with my six year old and my 3 year old (both girls) on the 18th!
Thank you SO MUCH for all of this wonderful Disney info!

Ok, I have a question. I just made reservation to eat at Storytellers cafe on May 12. at 8:15. It’s a tuesday morning. I am wondering if I should move my reservation so I can still get over to Animation Academy and get the Elsa and Anna return ticket? Do you have any advice?

I would put the return ticket retrieval before everything else. We went to the parks after Storytellers last week. 75 minutes after the park opened and the time to see Anna and Elsa was 1:40. So, you’ll get a ticket if you go a bit later, but your timing will likely be much later, too.

Sarah, Frozen Fun is slated to end May 15. I’m not sure what will stay and what will go. We’re all crossing our fingers they’ll extend it! I’ll keep you updated on my Facebook page with what I learn. http://www.facebook.com/dlrprepschool

This is beyond helpful, thank you so much! Planning on taking my 4 year old daughter the last week of March for the 1st time. I’m saddened by the news that we probably will not be able to get a return ticket to see Elsa & Anna because we are only able to go on a day that has the early morning hours for the resort guests:’-( Will this still be by then do you think?